Sheet-metal railroad crossing



Jan. 12 ,1926. 1,569,410

` D. THOMAS SHEET METAL RAILROAD CROSSING Filed Dec. 1QI 1924 Patented Jan. 12, 1926. i

UNITED sTAres QPATENT orifice.

DAN THOMAS, or ENGLAND, ARKANSAS.

Smm:'J2-METALA RAILROADv CROSSING.

Application filed December 10, 1924. Serial No. 754,997.

TQ all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, DAN THOMAS, acitizen pf the United States, residing at England, in the county of Lonoke and State of Ar-A kansas, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Sheet-Metal Railroad Crossings, of which the following is a spesifi'cati'on. l n

This invention relates to railroad crossings and has for its object the provision of improvements by which the crossing is given a greater degree of permanency than has heretofore been obtained; the regularity and evenness of a crossing of this character is maintained for a longer period than usual; the rails are pre-vented from spreading; and the general condition of the crossing is inn proved.

The invention comprises sheet metal crossing sections of hollow form extending lengthwise of the track and spanning several ties, the outermost sections having in- 'clined faces and being of improved shape so that they are adapted to engage the rails and the ends of the ties to prevent spreading of' the rails. The intermediate sections are located between the rails in spaced relationship and the spaces between them and the rails and between the sections themselves are filled .with crushed stone, gravel, or other suitable filler. All of the sections are connected tothe ties by self-locking, barbed spikes which pass through the sections and into the ties, the heads of the spikes being co'untersunk in depressions in the upper faces of the sections.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is set forth hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a plan view, the ballast or filling being omitted for the sake of clearness of the disclosure.l

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section on the. line 2-2, Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the barbed spikes.

The ties are shown at l and the rails at Q. The ordinary bed appears at 3 and lthe ballast at el.

My crossing embodies duplicate outer or :approach sections 5 and intermediate sections 6, spikes 7 being used to hold the sections to the ties. u

All of -thesections are of sheet metal, prefelebly siret .St-@e1 Peet ferias@ 01 Pressed,

to theV desired shape to effectuate the purposes of the invention, as shown in Fig. 2.

The outer sections 5 have sloping upper surfaces so that persons, animals, and vehicles may readilypass onto the crossing.

The intermediate sections 6' have `upeer surfaces which are partly flat and partly rounded or curved.

The outermost or approach sections 5 and the intermediate sections 6 by reason of their rshape afford'strength and resistante to the loads which pass over them. They are provided with countersunk parts 8 which receive the heads of the spikes 7 so that the heads of said spikes are below, or flush with, the upper surfaces ofthe sections so that there will be no projections above the sections. The spikes are barbed and hence they will not pull out nor become loosened until the tie actually decays. This insures the retention of the sections 5 and 6 in their proper position and gives permanency tothe crossing. v

The outer or approach sections 5 have an inner flange 9 which is of a shape similar to the entire outermost side of the rail and bears against the side and underside of the rail-head, against kthe web, and also has a widened base resting on the base of the rail, thereby providing an abutment which reslsts spreading of the rail. The outermost edge of the section 5 is provided with a shoulder 10 which abuts the end of the tie l, the purpose being to prevent the section 5 from creeping or moving inwardly toward the rail which would tend to shift the rail or to cause the section 5 to rise up out of proper position.

The intermediate sections 6 are spaced apart from each other as shown in Fig. l and spaced from the rails but these spaces are filled with crushed rock, gravel, or other suitable filler as shown at ll; consequently.r the continuity of the crossing is maintained and an even passageway is provided.

The. shoulderl 10, in connection with the shoulder on the inner part or liange of each section 5 prevents the section from rising. The sections 6 have no tendency to rise such as might Occur in the sections 5 were the latter not of the improved construction set forth, because the pressure on the sections 6 is downward.

As my crossing is made in sections, rcpars to the ties may be readily .Carried out,

By making the crossing sectional between the rails, the expense is lessened as the crushed rock or gravel ll is much cheaper to provide than to fill the complete space with metal sections. However, I reserve the right to provide a single metal section between the rails, or7 to provide more than two intermediate sections and to dispense with the filler l1.

l claim:

l. A railroad crossing having hollow metal sections located outside of the rails, said sections each being provided with an exposed, sloping upper surface leading upwardly from its outer edge to the rail and provided at its innermost part with` a wall or flange of a shape similar to the entire outermost side of the rail and bearing against the side and underside of the head and the web of the rail and having a widened base resting on the base of the rail, and fastenings connecting the said sections to the ties at points between the innermost and outermost parts thereof.

2. A railroadA crossing having hollow metal sections located outside of the rails, the inner walls of said sections abutting the outer faces of the rails, each of said sections being provided with a depending shoulder on its outer edge which engages the end of the tie, and fastenings connecting the sections to the ties.

In testimony whereof l afhx my signature.

DAN THOMAS. 

